Automatic scale.



R. l. ZANONE.

i AUTOMATIC SCALE. APPLlcATloN FILED MAR. 15. i915.

1,152,868, Patentedsept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` f VENTO/e. may/LV,

WJTNESSES WY/rigid CcLUMBIA PLANcmRAPl-l co., WASHINGTON. D. cA

A TTORNE Y R. l. ZANONE.

AUTOMATIC SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5. 1915.

l 1 5 2,868 Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

A TTO/eNE Y coLUMnIA PLANQGRAPII co..\vAsHlNGTON, D. c.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD J. zANoNE, or NDW ALBANY, INDIANA, AssIeNoR To JACOB zINsMEIsTDR,

or" NEW ALBANY, INDIANA. n

AUTOMATIC SCALE.

To all whomt may concern.' A n n Be it'known that I, RICHARD J.' ZANONE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at 1316 wEast Spring street, in the city of YNew Albany, county ofFloyd, and State of Indiana,

have invented-a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Scales,'of which the following is a specification.

This invention rrelates to improvements in automatic scales and has for anV object the v provision of a scale of the class described which shall be simple in construction, accurate and reliable in operation, and duf lrable in service. Y

claims.

` With the foregoing and other objects in view my inventionl consists of the novel arrangement and construction of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherep "in'isset forth an embodiment ofthe invention, but it is to beunderstood that such changes and modifications may be resorted to as come within the scope of the appended Referring to the drawings, comprising three sheets, wherein similar reference char-k,

actersAV designate like parts in the several views; .Figure l, isa side elevation of an embodiment of myinve'ntion showingvthe l parts in normal position i. e.` ready toreof a portion of the device,with portionsul ceive a commodity toube weighed: Fig. 2, a front elevation; Fign, a rearr elevation; Fig. 4,7a top plan; Fig'. 5, a side elevation broken'V away and parts 1n section, showing the position assumed whenl discharging a commodity-'after the same has been weighed ;l Fig.l 6,.a perspective view ofthe gate; Fig.

7, 'a detail'of the lowerend of the gate operatinglever; Fig. 8, a detail of the lower end of the receiving hopper.

f Referring'more :particularly to the drawing -1-'-` designatesa frame comprising side members. yrigidly connected by *transverse bars and 3-. V

per," just abovetheentr'ance tothe chuteV Specification of Letters Patent.-

` from the bar 20.

assists in sustaining thefweight of a contained commodity and to retard the flow thereof. I alsov provide af'projecting ledge -8- which serves to retard the flow and to prevent-'clogging in the chute. A slide '94- adjustably secured on the bar 4 by a thumb screw -10-, may be extended into the chute to regulate, or cut oif, the iow of commodity therethrough. Below the regulating slide, the rear wall of the chute slopes forward',

forming an incline -11- on which the come modity falls relieving from the shock a *gateV `12 which serves to close the lower end ofthe chute and out off the iow of com` modity. vA brush #13- secured on the for- I ward side of the chute in such a position that the bristles extend below Athe lowerj' edge thereof provides a yielding abutment for th e forwardvedge of the gate, thereby obvlatlng anyv danger of the gate failing to close completely by reason of particles,

ofV the commodity being caught between the edge of thegate and its abutment. The gate is provided with arms -15- which are y pivotally connected by means of bolts +16- to vears -17-, which are extended from thel bar 4. 'The pivotal point of the gate lies forward of fits center ofgravity when in operative position, hence the gate tends to close by gravity. The gate is assisted in its Patented Sept. 7, 1915. f Appiieation mea March 15, `1915. se`ri'a1No. 14,601.

closing movement by the weighty of a lever i,

-18- pivotally connectedV to alug -19- which extends forward from a transverse bar 420- connected to the frame. The gate lever 18 extends forward and upward from its pivotal point, land its upper end is connected with the gate by means of a slotted 'link -21- which is pivotally connected to` an ear -22- extended from the bottom ofthe gate. 1A depending leg ,-23v`- ofthe lever 18 has a spring pressed latch bolt Q4-- extended from lits lower end which is adapted to engage with a pin -25-, on a trip lever 4426-, when the gate l2 Vis opened, and hold it in that position. v The trip lever is pivotally connected at -27- to a leg v--28jwhich' depends I A scale beam which comprises va pair ofvparallel arms -l'and 32- rigidly connected by transverse bars .33

`and 34-, is pivotally connected with'the frame, by` means of pivots -35- which l rest on blocks -3G-. Weights -37- are suspended by vsuitable means from the r'ear of the scale beam. The throw of the scale beam may be regulated by means of'adjusting screws -38 and 8 9-. Aweighing hopper -40- is suspended from .the forward ends of the arms 3l and 32 by suitable means such as links --41-. A distance rod -42- is pivotally connected to the rear wall of the weiglringhopper and to a bracket 83- extended from the frame. The distance between the pivotal point of the distance rod is the same aszthat between the pivotal point of the scale beam and the point of suspension of the weighing hopper, this insures the vertical position vof the scale pan.

On the upper rear edge of the weighing hopper is a lroller which is adapted to contact with the forwardly extended portion of the lever 18, whereby the movement of the scale pan controls the closing of the gate 12, and positively opens the same. The trip lever is provided on its forward end with a pin -44-4, extended laterally therefrom. Extended from the rear' wall of the scale pan 40, are brackets and 46 disposed respectively above and below the trip lever 2G, the bracket 45` being adapted to strike the pin 44 and depress the trip lever, therebyV Ireleasing the gate lever 18; the

bracket 46 striking the pin 44 and positively raising the trip lever` into, and maintaining it against accidental displacement from its` locking position. The weighing hopper' has downwardly converging walls leading Vto a hinged bottom -48 which is swung from the rear wall of the weighing hopper by suitable means such as hinges -49-. A counterweight -54- extended rearward therefrom serves to return the bottom, when open,` to a closed position in which it is retained by means of a catch -50-, on the front'wall of the hopper, which engages a pin -51-..-, extended from the forward edge ofthe closure. The catch 50 is pivoted at -52-, and has a lateral `forward projection --58 which serves as a handle. From the rear wall of thev weighing hopper there is extended a bracket -554- from which depends a latch -56- having a hook -57- tended from the bottom. The arrangement being such that as. the bottom 48 opens the latch 56 ispermitted to swing into position to engage, the pin 58 and prevent the weighing hopper from rising; and when the bottomfclo-ses the latch is withdrawn from its engagement' thel pin, and the weighing hopper is free to rise. A funnel -62- is supported on extensions -63- of the frame, beneath the weighing hopper, in position to receive commodity discharged therefrom. On the forward side of the funnel is positioned an adjustable stop -64- adapted to be interposed in the path of the handle 53, of the catch 50, to trip said catch. An adjustable detent -68 is positioned on the front of the funnel, and projecting above the same, is adapted to engage with a bar -69-, extended from the scale hopper, to hold the hopper in its down position. An adjustable platform -75- is provided to support packages into which the weighed commodity is discharged.

In operation, a commodity is conducted, either intermittently or continuously, from a suitablesource'of supply, into the receiving hopper from thence it flows into the weighing hopper, when the weighing hopper' has received a quantity of commodity sufficient to counter-balance the weight on the scale beam it will descend. It is to be observed that at the moment the scale beam is in equilibrium the weighing hopper hangs free from connection with any actuating or controlling means which would tendto retard its movement or interfere with the accuracy of the weighing. As the weighing hopper descends the roller 43 ceases to contact with the gate lever 18, but the latter is still in operation by reason of the engagement of the latch bolt 24 with the pin 25 on the trip lever 26. `As the point of equilibrium is passed the bracket 45 contacts with the pin 44 on the trip lever 26, depressing said lever and releasing the gate lever 18, whereupon the gate 12 will be moved into its closed position shutting off the flow of commodity. As the bottom opens it permits the latch 56 to swing rearward into position to engage with the pin 58. The outflowing commodity holds the bottom Open, and as the weight decreases the hopper will rise until the hook 57 engages with the pin 58, at which point it will be held until the bottom closes. As the flow of commodity lessons the bottom commences to close, but on account of the link GO being slotted, will not release the latch 56 until the commodity ceases to flow. lVhen the flow of cornmodity ceases the weight 54 will cause the bottom to close, releasing the latch 56 and permitting the weighing hopper' to rise. As the hopper rises the roller 43 .on the ripper' edge thereof, contacts with the gate lever 18 and through the medium thereof opens the gate 12, allowing the commodity to flow into the weighing hopper'. reaches the limit of its'travel the latch bolt 24 in the lower end thereof will pass over and engage with the pin on the trip lever' 2G.V

As the gate leverv The foregoing cyclevwill lbe repeated con-l tinuously as long as the commodity is supplied to thevveighing hopper, unless the stop means of the detent 68 the Weighing hopper" may be held in the down position when empty, in this Way the Weighing operation may be suspended While the character of the commodity is being changed.

It is thought that the construction, operation and the many advantages of my improved scale may be thoroughly understood Afrom the foregoing description by anyone versed in the art pertaining thereto, and

I claim:

1. In a scale, a frame, a scale beam pivoted thereon, a hopperv suspended from said beam, a hinged bottom on said hopper, means carred by said hopper adapted to engage a fixed point on said frame to hold said hopper in its doWn position, saidV means controlled by said bottom.

2. In a scale, a frame, a scale beam pivoted thereon, a hopper suspended from said beam, a bottom hinged on said hopper, a stop on said frame, and a latch on said hopper adapted to be moved into position to engage With said stop to hold the hopper in its down position.

3. In a scale, a frame, a scale beam pivoted thereon, a hopper suspended from said beam, a bottom hinged on said hopper, a stop on saidframe, a latch on said hopper adapted to be moved into position to engage with said stop to hold the hopper in itsdovvn position, vand operative connections whereby the position of said latch is controlled by said bottom.

t. In a scale, a frame, a scale beam pivoted thereon, a hopper suspended from said beam, a bottom hinged on said hopper, a stop on said frame, a latch on said hopper, means operable by the opening of saidbottom to `permit said latch to move into position to engage With said'stopv to hold the hopper in its down position, said means operable by the closing of the bottom to release said latch and alloW the hopper to rise.

5. In a scale, a frame, a receiving hopper having a bottom outlet supported thereby, a gate adapted to close said outlet, a lever adapted normally to hold said gate open,^ay

trip lever adapted to hold said gate lever 1n its normal position, a scale beam pivoted on said frame, a Weighing hopper suspended from said beam, means associated with said weighing hopper to actuate ysaid trip lever and permit said gate to close, means adapted l to actuate said gate lever to open said gate,

to hold the hopper in its down v tion on said Weighing hopper adapted to actuate said trip and permit said gate to close, a roller, on the upper edge of ysaid Weighing hopper adapted to actuate sai gate lever to open said gate.

7 In a scale, a frame, a receiving hopper having a bottom outlet, a gravity gate adapted to close said outlet, a lever connected With, and normally holding said gate open, a trip levery adapted to engage and hold said gate Ilever in its normal position, a scale beam pivoted on said frame, a Weighing hopper suspended from said beam, a projectionvon said Weighing hopper adapted to actuate said trip and permit said gate to close, a roller on the upper edge of said Weighing hopper adaptedl to actuatesaid gate lever to Vopen said gate, a bottom hinged on said Weighing hopper, a stop on said frame, and a'latch on said hopper adapted to be moved into position to engage With said stop to hold the hopper in its dovvn position.

8. In a scale, a frame, a receiving hopper having a bottom outlet, a gravity gate adapted to close said outlet, a lever connected With, and normally holding said gate open, a trip lever adapted to engage and hold said gate leverin itsv normal position, a scale beam pivoted on said frame, a Weighing hopper suspended from said beam, a Aprojection on said Weighing hopper adapted to actuate said trip and permit said gate to close, a

roller on the upper edge of said Weighing hopper adapted to actuate said gate lever to open said gate, a bottom hinged on said hopper, a stop on saidfrarne, a latch on said hopper adapted to be moved into position to engage with said stop to hold said hopper in its down position, and operative connections whereby the positionof said latch is controlled by said bottom.

9. In a scale, a frame, a recieving hopper having a bottom outlet, agravity gate'adapted to close said outlet, a lever connected with, and normally holding said gate open, a trip leverv adapted to engage and hold said gate lever in its normal position, a scale beam pivoted on said frame, a Weighing hopper suspended from said beam, a projection on said Weighing hopper adapted to actuate said trip and permit said gate to close, a

roller on the upper edge of said Weighing hopper in its downgpostion, said means hopper adapted to aetuate said gate lever to operable by theelosing of the bottom to reopen said gate, n bottom hinged on said hoplease said` latch and allow the hopper to rise. 10

per, a stop on said frame, a latch on said RICHARD J. ZANONE. hopper, means operable by the opening of Witnesses: A said bottoni to permit said latch to move into WQ B. MUNNELL,

position to engage With said' stop to hold the M. MCALLISTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,`

A Washington, D. C. f 

